Crafty Spaces

ORGANIZATION, August 2010, by Jenny McKee


Crafty Spaces
Keeping your project supplies in order!


Do you love to scrapbook? Paint? Arrange flowers? Sew? That’s GREAT! Crafts and hobbies are a fantastic way to have fun, relax and make some beautiful art. Being creative is a super way to keep your mind and soul happy and healthy.

THE PROBLEM
As with most craft activities, there is usually a lot of stuff that goes with it! And if it’s not all out on display the whole time you're doing your project, it’s harder to work at it. You’re less motivated to scrapbook if your supplies are all over the house or difficult to set up. Making your supplies for any project portable, sorted and easy to access is the best way. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

DEDICATE THE SPACE
If you’re fortunate enough to have a whole room or area that you can leave your stuff out, that’s great. It’s much easier when projects can be left out to work on later. Even if you don’t have a spot to leave it out,  think of where you are most likely to do the activity. Is it at the dining room table? On your bed? In the family room? Decide where you will be doing it the most often and try to keep your supplies stored near it.

SORT AND SEPARATE
Pull out all your supplies and sort them into categories such as paint and brushes, scissors and cutting tools, glues and tapes, markers and pens, etc. You will find that by pulling them all out and putting like with like, you’ll really be able to see what you have and what you are running low on. You’ll also save money buying only what you need. Any supplies that are ruined – glue that’s hardened, markers that don’t work – toss them in the garbage. Do you have crafts that you know you’ll never use again? See if a friend could use them or donate them to a local daycare or seniors' center for someone else to enjoy.  

CONTAINERS
Whether you have space to keep bins or baskets on a shelf or if you use a rolling cart with drawers, keeping similar items together and labeled clearly is important. I like clear storage bins best because it’s easy to see what is inside at a glance. There are many practical storage options that you can find at the dollar store and home improvement stores as well as fancy containers and gadgets at craft supply stores. Depending on your space, needs and budget, it will be up to you to figure out what works best. Remember, don’t buy the bins and containers until you’ve decided what to keep, how many you’ll need and what space you have available.

IDEA FILE
Keep a folder or binder for all the tips, ideas or pictures of inspiration for your projects. Keeping them all together makes it easy to find that idea when you need it. If you have any magazines or books about the activity, keep them handy as well. Magazine holders are a great way to keep references tidy and close at hand – not mixed in with your biology and math text books!

Above all, keep doing it! Crafts and hobbies have fallen by the wayside over the past years. There is so much electronic equipment taking up our time and energy that the arts have been forgotten. Sitting down and creating beauty and art is an important way to express who you really are; to relieve stress and feel good. It’s also a ton of fun! Why not get together with your girlfriends or family members and have creative nights? No matter what your skills or experience, you’ll all have fun, get messy and create memories to last a lifetime!

~ Jenny

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